The Green Network

The Green Network is a partnership between ACAP Saint John and community stakeholders like the Fundy Regional Solid Waste Commission and the City of Saint John. This partnership has been designed to encourage individuals, community groups, businesses and schools to take real action (against the environmental degradation of littering and illegal dumping) by organizing community cleanups throughout the region.

The Green Network continues to highlight the success of this volunteer based model as increasing numbers of people from throughout Greater Saint John become engaged in the hands-on grassroots management of their local environment. In 2017, the Green Network helped organized 19 different cleanups involving 578 volunteers, which resulted in the removal of 4,880 kg of debris from the Greater Saint John area.

In 2016 we launched our #PortCityPickUp Contest. Use the hashtag and post a photo of yourself on social media while your cleaning our environment during your cleanup event or while your out being active on your own to be entered to win a green prize.

Tree Planting

2017: This was an exceptional year for planting trees in the Greater Saint John are, which involved 8 community plantings, for a total of 1,940 native trees and shrubs planted over the field season with the help of over 130 volunteers. Volunteers had the opportunity to be involved in, and learn about, habitat restoration while experiencing nature first-hand and getting their hands dirty. A diversity of volunteers participated in planting events including a wide range of ages, experience, and backgrounds.

URBAN TREE NURSERY

This year, ACAP Saint John transformed two separate vacant lots into Urban Tree Nurseries. The trees planted in these nurseries will be left in the ground for a period of 2 – 5 years to allow them to grow into larger and hardier trees. When these trees are ready, they will be rehomed and planted along rivers and streams.

The Crow Alley Tree Nursery is located on the corner of Brunswick Street and Middle Street in the Waterloo Village area. With the help of volunteers from McInnes Cooper and the Saint John Learning Exchange’s Workplace Essential Skills (WES) program, a total of 300 native seedlings and 8 legacy trees were planted in the nursery.

The St. Rose Tree Nursery was ACAP Saint John’s second tree nursery to be implemented this year. It is located behind and on St. Rose School property on the West Side of Saint John. This nursery was made possible with support from Salesforce, who volunteered their time for both site preparation and tree planting. With the help from Salesforce volunteers and children from St. Rose School, 250 trees were planted in the nursery.

2016: There were five volunteer tree planting events in Saint John during the 2016 field season with the help of over 60 volunteers. Trees were planted next to streams and waterways in order to enhance riparian habitat and improve our water quality in the City as well as in areas where plantings enhanced the environment for pedestrians. ACAP Saint John summer students and staff planted an additional 200 trees in the Saint John area throughout the year to enhance riparian project sites and contribute towards Saint John's urban forest.

Pedestrian path off Egbert Street before and during tree planting with volunteers.

Over 80 trees, bushes, and vines were planted on a municipal property next to one of the City's new pump stations (built as part of the Harbour Cleanup project) off Egbert Street. The property is often used by pedestrians and ACAP Saint John recognized the potential to enhance this area for both the people walking through it and for the the adjacent riparian habitat in the Courtenay Forebay.

TD Tree Day volunteers planting trees and shrubs next to Alder Brook next to University Avenue.

In the fall, volunteers participated in TD Tree Days to plant vegetation along a section of Alder Brook in the North End of Saint John. What looks like a ditch running alongside University Avenue is actually a fish bearing stream. The trees and shrubs planted next to the stream will help to improve fish habitat by shading the water to keep the stream cool and by filtering contaminants from water runoff from the adjacent lawn and road.

2015: Eight tree planing events took place in the 2015 field season. One highllight from the season as the first two tree planting events in the Courtenay Forebay by volunteers. The completion of Harbour Cleanup has created the opportunity to further restore the habitat in this formerly polluted area and revitalize it as a community asset.

Volunteers planting trees in the Courtenay Forebay in 2015.

A large group of volunteers from TD Canada Trust helped to plant 250 “living bird feeders” in the Manchester Bird Sanctuary. These low-lying berry bushes will create an understory for the forest and provide food for birds and other wildlife.

Placemaking

“Placemaking shows people just how powerful their collective vision can be. It helps them to re-imagine everyday spaces, and to see anew the potential of parks, downtowns, waterfronts, plazas, neighborhoods, streets, markets, campuses and public buildings.” (Project for Public Spaces)

During the summer of 2015 ACAP Saint John reached out to the Saint John community for ideas. Three signs were placed around the City to encourage people to write down their thoughts, concerns, ideas, and hopes for Tin Can Beach. The signs filled up with over 230 constructive comments from community members. These comments have already informed design decisions for the area and will continue to guide revitalization efforts. The following word cloud was created from comments written by the community.

St. John River Summit

In September of 2015 ACAP Saint John partnered with the World Wildlife Federation – Canada to host the third annual Saint John River Summit. The Summit brought together organizations from Maine, New Brunswick, and Quebec who are working on research and habitat projects in the St John River watershed. The Summit brings together groups from the region to share and discuss knowledge about the wellbeing of this important watershed. The summit enabled ACAP Saint John to share our success stories of environmental progress in Saint John. The City is the largest population center on the St John River and is located at a significant location where the river enters the Bay of Fundy.

The summit included workshops, a trade fair, an environmental tour of the City, and a kayak tour of the Saint John Harbour.